Support for UVU students struggling due to COVID-19

Emergency Funding

Due to the lack of funds, we have temporarily closed the emergency fund application.  Please reach out to [email protected] with any needs.

Purpose:

The purpose of the Mental Health Task Force is to ensure that UVU is meeting the needs of our student populations by providing appropriate mental health support.

Current Projects

  • Identifying best practices for addressing mental health needs through literature reviews
  • Building out Student Health Services to add 13 additional mental health therapist offices. Project expected to be completed by January 2022.
  • Reviewing university policies and practices to identify barriers for students with mental health needs or drug misuse/abuse.
  • Developing a postvention protocol to be consistent with the HEMHA guide.
  • Developing messages to send directly to incoming students who self-identify with mental health history with appropriate resources prior to arriving on campus.
  • Refining policies on alcohol and other drugs.
  • Adding lifeline numbers onto Student ID cards.
  • Conducting a campus environment scan to identify and mitigate access to lethal means.

Completed Projects

  • Implemented the SafeColleges Mental Health Awareness Training Module for students, faculty, and staff.
  • Revamped Student Health Services website to make it more user-friendly and to highlight the SafeUT crisis chat and text line.
  • Secured funds to hire additional mental health therapists
    • Requested two mental health therapists, LGBTQIA+ specialist, and BIPOC specialist, through the 2020-2021 PBA.
    • Improved the student to mental health therapist ratio from 1:2,264 to 1:1,604. (Our goal is 1:1,500 students.)
  • Expanded naloxone training program to increase access for additional students/faculty/staff.
  • Implemented the TrulaCampus program which provides free peer coaching for college students focused on well-being.
  • Participated in the ACHA/NCHA assessment determining that stress, anxiety, and depression are the top three mental health issues facing UVU students. To see the full current summary as well as past summaries please visit our assessments page.
  • Partnered with ULifeline.
  • Partnered with Safe UT, a crisis text and chat line.
  • Created and implemented campaigns focused on the student life cycle.
  • Participated in the JED assessment using the JED comprehensive framework.
  • Participated in Embedded Well-Being in the Curriculum through Advanced HE.
  • Participated in the Healthy Minds Survey during the 2020-2021 academic year. To see the report please visit our assessments page.
  • Identified best practices for addressing mental health needs through literature reviews.
  • Assessed the current state of mental health resources for students.
  • Developed a 4-year strategic plan addressing student well-being with measurable student outcomes to demonstrate impact focused on social connectedness and crisis management.
  • Identified and partnered with the JED Foundation as a framework for mental health and well-being.
    • Comprehensive, public health approach to promoting emotional well-being, reducing suicide and serious substance abuse.
    • Approach focused on developing life skills, promoting social connectedness, identifying students at risk, increasing help-seeking behavior, providing mental health and substance abuse services, following crisis management procedures, and restricting access to potentially lethal means.

JED Foundation

The program is a nationwide initiative of The Jed Foundation (JED) designed to help schools evaluate and strengthen their mental health, substance misuse and suicide prevention programs and systems to ensure that schools have the strongest possible mental health safety nets. By joining JED Campus, UVU demonstrates a commitment to the emotional well-being of its students.

JED Campuses embark on a multi-year strategic collaboration that not only assesses and enhances the work that is already being done but also helps create positive, lasting, systemic change in the campus community. The program provides schools with a framework for supporting student mental health, as well as assessment tools, feedback reports, a strategic plan, and ongoing support from the JED Campus team.

UVU’s membership in the JED Campus begins with establishing an interdisciplinary, campus-wide team to assess, support and implement program, policy, and system improvements and completing a confidential, self-assessment survey on its mental health promotion, substance abuse, and suicide prevention efforts. Upon completion of the assessment, JED Campus clinicians provide schools with a comprehensive feedback report identifying successes and opportunities for enhancements. Over the course of four years, UVU will collaborate with JED to help implement enhancements. All self-assessment responses and feedback reports are confidential. For more information on the JED Foundation visit www.jedfoundation.org.

Check back often for updates on the JED Partnership.

Do you have a suggestion or recommendation for the Mental Health Task Force?

Complete the form below to let us know and we’ll look into it!

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Mental Health Task Force Members:

 

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For more information please email [email protected].